Adams - 'stick by him'

'I would most like to see us stick by Tony Adams after the New Year', not my vote, yours - although these findings from Midge's poll are thoughts that I would agree with to be honest.

So much is going on at the club, so many thoughts are going round my head - and to be honest some of them change, and can change by the hour. Among the thoughts and feelings going round I often feel anger, relief, regret and then composure after I convince myself that 'everything will be ok' with the club that I love, something that means more to me than most other things in life... I feel angry at the players, then think maybe it is actually Adams' fault, it is then Harry Redknapp's fault - not necessarily for walking out on us again, but getting us in a position that we are in before doing so, but the main thing that I always come back to is actually the people that own and run the club? I just wish they would be honest with us. I know the papers probably make up a lot of things, and actually make them worse but I genuinely now fear that they are not being honest with us and the pursuit of glory come well beyond our means and the true costs of this are now coming home to roost...

Anyway, back to the point - Adams, and keeping him.

He has made some strange tactical decisions, and these have been errors that have maybe not actually cost us points but certainly contributed to these lost points, although in fairness I think these points were already lost, these poor tactical decisions at times just ensured that defeat that was already on was cemented perhaps?

Then again those out on the pitch need to hold their hands up, especially the defenders as their lapses and poor decisions have cost us dear. In that case it is down to Adams to tell his old mate Sol Campbell that he is done, he is free to leave in January - if not then most certainly the summer as he is costing us points. David James is looking decidedly uncertain, and if he is still the England no.1 when the next game comes round I will be amazed - but is his uncertainty down to the defenders in front of him and his lack of belief and trust in them, leading to him trying to do too much and clear up situations that he cannot clear up? Either way, and I know we are thin on the ground defensively, but Adams has got to make a call and stick by it. If we keep shipping goals like we are we will be in trouble!

A lot of players are looking like they no longer want to play for the club, it is easy to say that this is the case because they do not want to play for Adams, or even the club anymore - this may be the case in some instances, as he does come across as an 'odd character' at times, and most footballers are viewed as mercenaries these day. But I suspect the real truth of the matter is many do not want to play for the club anymore because the club are making it clear that they are 'expendable commodities' that they are touting around left, right and centre as they look to offload prized assets out of necessity as much as anything else - despite talk to the contrary, which in my thinking the club need to be honest about.

Would you want to be somewhere you were not wanted - or were made to feel unwanted behind your back?

It is that 'loyalty issue' I have often spoken of, and it needing to cut both ways. The club, to my knowledge, which of course is not gospel - so my views are not totally as they might be - are the ones that are not showing this, to both the players, who might need to be sold, but more importantly us, the paying punters that have Portsmouth Football Club in our blood and deserve to be told the truth, not lied to.

I think the biggest case in point on this issue is Jermain Defoe - yep he is playing like someone who does not look like he wants to be here, but it is my understanding that he has never expressed a desire to leave; we have been the ones pushing this! So can you blame him for being put out?

Of course there are also some that do not have the clubs interest at heart, we are just a 'meal ticket' and probably are not playing for the club - the calls for people that want this have been vocal. It would be interesting to know how many actually want to go and how many are actually being touted. Clearly if finances mean they need to they will, and that is the club letting us down and they need to hold their hands up and be honest.

I have probably just rambled a lot here, and probably sound like I have contradicted previous thoughts made over the days and weeks - as said though a lot is down to the fact that I just do not know what to believe anymore, but now, 'I think', firmly believe that the clubs owners and chairman, along with Redknapp, got us into a big hole, which the 'unexpected' credit crunch has made even deeper and the ones that are suffering the most are us - the fans, the ones that seem to matter the least and are often treated with the most distain...

I could be completely wrong and maybe this is that 'anger' emotion again, maybe I have let my heart, or gut feeling get the best of me?

Again, I have gone well off point - keeping Adams...

Right I think the fella is honest and genuine and really does want what is best for the club and the fans, but is having to work with severe constraints. I find it hard to believe that he would have been naive enough to go into the job not knowing this, not knowing people probably had to go and a fair amount of money raised.

'Big' question marks remain over his man management skills, when he comes out with bizarre things such as 'I like my own company and would be happy to go through life alone and then die' and 'I do not actually like people' and so on makes you think how can a character, who on the face of it struggles to motivate himself motivate others? Maybe he is also too much of 'one of the boys', and his step-up to being the manager is something that he, and the players are finding hard to adjust to?

It could be viewed as a risk giving Adams money next month, but lets be honest he will not get much anyway - so if he would not get much how would anyone else? The experience and motivation factor of someone else 'could' be a bonus, and if anyone else did come in they would have to before the end of January to be given this chance. It could be blind faith or optimism, but I seriously do not think we will go down and do think that given time Adams could do a job - I think thoughts, or even expectations, of further forward steps need to be shelved, if not forgiven, but I feel Adams can offer us that platform to bring us back to a level footing and a kind of level that I would find acceptable, and arguably we belong at - and that does not mean it is outside of the top flight!

What the poll asked - Who do you hope will be Pompey manager after the New Year...

Comments

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Portsmouth would be shooting themselves in the foot if they break faith with Adams now. He will get it right for you and any new manager would probably be forced to sell your stars. On second thoughts, let Adams go and let Mark Hughes sign Crouch!

Adams is not the answer, and never was, he was the cheapest and easiest option.
I wasted more of my time yesterday watching an Arsenal second string make us look what we are, and that is woeful.
It was just a question of time when they would score, and also which one of James's mistakes they would capitilise on!!
Drop Defoe, play Nugent on the right side of midfield what is he thinking about!!
i cant believe this is happening to us, from a decent side to this load of rubbish, we were awful nd deserved what we got nothing again.
Get rid of him now, and let the new man sort out this mess quickly

One Bad Apple is all i think. after Boxing Days display by defoe, it proves he is not a team player, and is looking to move on. No one shruggs their shoulders after missing a penalty, and wonders why he gets booed??? surely he is not that nieve? Anyway, i think adams on Quay yesterday, said it all. He has told all players to talk to him and not the media, and think hard about their future over the next few days. If they DONT want to play for us, and give it 100% then to tell him, and he will negineer the exit for them. If they do want to stay and fight, then welcome aboard, as he feels that what our fans deserve. Only players that want to play and not just take the money. So if Defoe is a bad apple, and those who played yesterday have already pledged their support, then judging by what i saw at Arsenal yesterday, Tony got it right to throw down the gauntlet. Let the fight begin, let the rotten apples leave, and what ever funds are left, lets get poepl in/back who want to play for us.

P.S. im not saying everyone that leaves is wrong for doing so, Johnson may go and Diarra is gone (As good as) you dont hear either of them moaning, and when they do play they get stuck in. Defoe however, has not looked right for last 4 games, Distin has become vocal... All i i ask is, talk to tony as he asks, and go silently or shut up, and roll your sleeves up.

for anyone who missed Admas comments here is one sites quote.....
"Adams, who was returning to Arsenal for the first time as a fully-fledged manager, also insists he does not want to sell in the window which opens on Thursday.
He added: "I am determined to hold on to all of them but I want people who want to play for Portsmouth. We're in a scrap with 14 other clubs and if they don't want to play for Portsmouth then they're no good to me.
"It's not reading the riot act, it's fact. If your head has been turned, if you're not trying everything to win games for the club then I don't want you around.
"

The transfer window is going to be Tony's big chance to get things straightened out, and hopefully we will be left with only players who want to play for us, and if that means less superstars, then so be it. Its going to be an interesting month.

Tony, blah blah blah, we keep hearing some wonderful stuff from Adams, how many points have we got in the last four games!!
If management was about saying the right things to the press we could all do it.